First Paint Correction Experience

[jbnery6465]

So I've learned a lot on this forum as well as on autopia.org. I used to detail cars a lot by hand, but have never done a real paint correction job. So my wife bought me a PC7424 and Meg 105/205 for Christmas, and I had a chance to try it out on my 2001 Volvo S60.

I didn't do a full detail and this isn't a write up, more like a review of my 1st experience.

Washed with Dawn and Clay to remove previous wax
IPA Wipedown
Meg 105 w/LC Orange applie via KBM
Meg 205 w/LC White
IPA Wipedown
Meg NXT Tech Wax 2.0 (purchased last year and still not used; waiting on my Zaino)

Before: car was heavily swirled
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c226/jbnery6465/Volvo_Test_001.jpg

After: 90% of defects removed, and 205 finished very well
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c226/jbnery6465/Volvo_Test_002.jpg

I think that the Volvo has a hard clear coat because there are scratches on the car that I couldn't get rid of. They look deeper and a little wider than the average swirl but I still could not feel them with my finger nail. Would a Surbuf pad be more effective overall than the Orange pad? And I noticed that after doing half the car, there was a lot of caking build up in the middle of the Orange pad and forced me to use another pad, was this due to too much product? Other than that, I had no problem with using 105 except for being dusty. Any thoughts?

[kronos]

It looks good. What pad sizes where you using and at what speed where you using the PC?

[Rsurfer]

So I've learned a lot on this forum as well as on autopia.org. I used to detail cars a lot by hand, but have never done a real paint correction job. So my wife bought me a PC7424 and Meg 105/205 for Christmas, and I had a chance to try it out on my 2001 Volvo S60.

I didn't do a full detail and this isn't a write up, more like a review of my 1st experience.

Washed with Dawn and Clay to remove previous wax
IPA Wipedown
Meg 105 w/LC Orange applie via KBM
Meg 205 w/LC White
IPA Wipedown
Meg NXT Tech Wax 2.0 (purchased last year and still not used; waiting on my Zaino)

Before: car was heavily swirled
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c226/jbnery6465/Volvo_Test_001.jpg

After: 90% of defects removed, and 205 finished very well
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c226/jbnery6465/Volvo_Test_002.jpg

I think that the Volvo has a hard clear coat because there are scratches on the car that I couldn't get rid of. They look deeper and a little wider than the average swirl but I still could not feel them with my finger nail. Would a Surbuf pad be more effective overall than the Orange pad? And I noticed that after doing half the car, there was a lot of caking build up in the middle of the Orange pad and forced me to use another pad, was this due to too much product? Other than that, I had no problem with using 105 except for being dusty. Any thoughts?
Caking and dusting is normal with 105...clean pad often and change when necessary. Looks like a dark color paint and needs more refinement...finish down with Menz 85rd and a black/blue pad for added gloss. BTW good job for your first shot with a DA.

[jbnery6465]

Thanks you guys. The pad size was 5.5" on the 5" backing plate. when spreading the polish the PC was at 4, then to work it in the speed was at 6 moving at about 1 inch/second.

Is it safe to keep working in the 105 even if it looks like there is little to no product on the paint? I'm using the LC CCS pads.

[BobbyG]

JB,

That's a huge improvement. :dblthumb2: :dblthumb2:

[arkus]

Thanks you guys. The pad size was 5.5" on the 5" backing plate. when spreading the polish the PC was at 4, then to work it in the speed was at 6 moving at about 1 inch/second.

Is it safe to keep working in the 105 even if it looks like there is little to no product on the paint? I'm using the LC CCS pads.


I would like to know this too

[turbos17]

From my minimal experience with 105 (just started to use it) you want it at a haze then buff off and check your section. With the caking look up clean your pad on the fly or have 7-10 pads ready that you can swap out at any given moment for any given size vehicle.

[jlb85]

That is a great job! I think it looks refined enough. If you want, tape off a section and try M205 on a black or blue pad and at sower speed (like 5), or a lighter polish if you have it, and see if it makes a difference.

The more aggressive the compound, the more problematic they are to use. Menzerna Power Gloss is super sticky, M105 cakes up and dusts like mad, SSR3 dusts even more. The trick is to, like turbos17 said, have a bunch of pads ready to swap out, or wash the pads frequently. I will brush a pad before applying more polish to it every time during compounding (OK, almost every time!). Running a caked up pad reduces its effectiveness, and will degrade the pad extremely fast.